Did you know that science shows that the fastest, most reliable way to bring more positivity and happiness into your life is to do something kind for someone else?
Positivity can promote personal growth and improve your well-being, as well as help you cultivate optimism and connect with others.
In short, it can empower you to be a better person, parent, and partner!
Here are four science-backed tips to tap into the power of positivity for a flourishing life.
First: Choose Gratitude Instead of Comparison.
One of the biggest crushers of happiness and positivity is comparing yourself to others. Theodore Roosevelt is credited with saying that “Comparison is the thief of joy.”
If you want to bring yourself down fast, just start comparing yourself to others. Think about all the things you wish you had (but don’t), take your blessings for granted, and look at it as everyone else’s job to make you happy.
This first tip does just the opposite! It’s all about what Robert Emmons calls “one of the few things that can measurably change people’s lives”: genuine gratitude.
Emmons teaches, “Gratitude implies humility—a recognition that we could not be who we are or where we are in life without the contribution of others. Being grateful is an acknowledgment that there are good and enjoyable things in the world.”
Try to make a habit of slowing down and recognizing what you already have in life, and then doing something about it! Express your gratitude in a journal, or even in an app such as Remble. Show appreciation for others, and be specific. Think about why the people you love matter to you and then let them know.
Acknowledging the good isn’t about forcing the emotion of gratitude or shaming yourself if you’re struggling to feel it. Gratitude is more than a feeling – it is a practice.
Eventually, the feeling will come.
Second: Make Time to Be Kind.
The second tip is kindness. Most scholars agree that this one creates positive feelings as well as any exercise they’ve ever tested.
There are countless ways to be kind! And it doesn’t have to be big or costly things. We’re talking about holding the door open for someone, saying “hi” to a stranger, cooking a special breakfast for your kids, or leaving a sticky note on your sweetheart’s pillow.
Here’s a challenge called “text two before ten.” Every day for a week, send two people a text message before 10 am about why you’re glad they’re in your life. It’s a simple activity that will take only a few minutes but start your day – and others’ – on a high note.
Go ahead, and see what happens!
Kindness is contagious. Just witnessing kindness, whether in person or virtually, stirs a feeling of wanting to be good and do good. And when we are the recipients of acts of kindness, most of us want to pay it forward and be kind to others.
Third: Discover Your Strengths.
Most of us are all too familiar with our weaknesses and what we need to work on. Although it’s important to manage these things rather than ignore them, focusing on strengths is a more empowering and effective perspective.
We are all born with gifts, talents, and strengths. One of the best things you can do is make time to discover your unique strengths. If you don’t know where to start, you can take a free strengths survey at www.VIAcharacter.org and it will crank out your top five signature strengths. Jot them down and use them to bring more joy into your life!
Fourth: Use Your Strengths to Introduce Flow.
Have you ever immersed yourself in an activity where you lost track of time and it seemed to just fly by? Chances are, it both taps into your strengths and stretches you a bit.
This is what researchers call “flow.” It’s when we become so involved in an activity that our mind doesn’t think about anything else. This can happen with anything from reading a book to gardening, from cooking to working on a project. The research shows that people are at their most creative, most productive, and happiest when they are in a state of flow.
What is it that you love to do that takes all of your attention and uses your strengths? Discover it and prioritize time for flow in your life.
Bonus tip: Savor the Good.
Here’s a bonus tip: slow down when you do something that makes you happy. Be mindful of it, enjoy it, just soak in it, absorb it, and stay with the good for a little longer. Scientists call this “savoring.” The cool part about this is it cements the experience in your brain longer, instead of just letting it slip away.
Final Thoughts.
Don’t wait until you improve or reach some indefinite measure of “success” until you let yourself enjoy life.
Practicing positivity – even in small, simple ways – opens your mind, broadens your perspective, and helps you manage the stresses and your challenges in healthier ways.
When your attitude and mood improve, it leads to more productivity, as well as better relationships at home and at work. This, in turn, can help you cultivate more positivity!
So, these happy hacks can be pretty powerful, fueling an “upward spiral” that shifts how you approach and experience your life. One tip and tweak at a time, nourishing seeds of things like gratitude, kindness, and using your strengths will help you reap the benefits in what matters most to you and help you have a flourishing life.
Which seed will you plant today?
Want More Help?
Take control of your mental health, build stronger relationships, and become the best version of yourself with Remble. With access to hundreds of therapist-created courses, activities, and tips, prioritize your well-being and see positive changes in your life.
Download Remble for free today and start your journey to a happier, healthier you.
